Concern government’s focus on roads will take toll on growth

A single-minded focus on road transport in next Tuesday’s federal budget will damage the country’s longer-term economic growth prospects, one of the nation’s top architects, Ken Maher, has warned.

Road alone cannot provide the infrastructure – particularly public transport – needed to make Australian cities develop into competitive and productive urban centres, and spending ­decisions next week need to make sure the longer-term benefits are weighed up in infrastructure, the former Hassell ­chairman said.

“Infrastructure and urban development are intertwined," Mr Maher told The Australian Financial Review. “The real need is to understand the impact of that on our lives, our economy, our productivity and our innovation. The current government is, I don’t think, giving enough emphasis to public transport infrastructure at all levels from light rail to metro systems to rail to airports."

Global competitiveness

Australia ranked 20th in the World Economic Forum’s global competitiveness index last year. Within the region, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea all ranked higher.

Architect Shelley Penn, chairwoman of the National Capital Authority, also argued for a thorough approach in the federal budget, citing the $27 billion in infrastructure spending outlined by the Victorian government in its Tuesday budget as an example to avoid.

“In Victoria, after no action there’s a rush of infrastructure spending which appears to be about political expediency because it’s just coming up to an election," Ms Penn said. “The narrative as to how that’s going to support the Victorian community isn’t clear. Is that same approach going to apply [in the federal budget]? It’s a fear."

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Last week’s National Commission of Audit report recommended transferring the functions of the National Capital Authority, which oversees the long-term planning, heritage and operation of the national capital, to the ACT government.

Such a move would be “short-sighted", Ms Penn said.

Negative impact

“There would be a long-term negative impact on Australia’s capital and its international standing," she said.

Mr Maher said the federal government’s decision last month to build Sydney’s second airport at Badgerys Creek and connect it with roads but no rail line was an example of poor planning.

“The rail is going to follow the ­airport," he said. “In every other country, they generally do it the other way.

“The airport will not effectively be accessible to the maximum number of people unless it has a transit system."